Piano Stories of The Little Prince II is a continuation of Milana Zilnik's wonderful 2024 Piano Stories of The Little Prince, a solo piano interpretation of one of her favorite stories from her childhood and a book she shared with her own children. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's classic tale was originally published in France in 1943 and is still one of the best-selling books ever. It tells a fanciful tale of exploration as well as encounters with a number of colorful characters that include flowers, foxes, a lamplighter and more. The first album showcased a variety of music styles and moods while Part 2 has a dreamy, slightly melancholy feeling that runs through most of the twelve tracks.

I have been reviewing Milana's albums since 2013 and have found her to be an especially creative and adventurous artist who is willing to follow her muse wherever it leads her - something I have the utmost respect and appreciation for.

In an interview we did in 2024, Milana explained how the album came to be:

“The Little Prince” is one of my favorite stories, filled with quiet moments and hidden meanings, mystery, gentleness, and humor - the kind of story that haunts you all your life. This story holds a philosophy that resonates with me: I feel just like the main character - wishing to create my own worlds, organizing my thoughts according to my personality, and not being confined to the frame of adulthood. But the real trigger for creating this album was a miraculous event that happened back in 2021 when I received an email from Leipzig Ballet asking for permission to use my compositions in their show based on “The Little Prince” story. Last year, we attended the premiere of the ballet in Leipzig, and that gave me tremendous inspiration to write music for the entire story.

Piano Stories of The Little Prince II begins with "The Lamplighter," a piece that is both relaxed and dreamy and is played mostly in the upper (treble) end of the piano keyboard - a beautiful opening that sets the gentle mood for the album. The effective use of reverb in "The Earth" really brings out the feeling of longing in the music. "The Snake" goes somewhat darker and more mysterious - one of my favorites! "A Plant In A Desert" is another favorite. Gentle and delicate yet strong and resilient, I love how Milana says so much with her music! "A Garden of Roses" expresses a variety of emotions that include sadness, wonder and grace. "Not Tame Fox" tells the story of The Little Prince's encounter with a fox who wants the Prince to tame him. The irregular rhythm is intriguing and draws the listener in - fascinating! "Talking With Snakes" expresses a feeling of mystery as well as a sense of possible danger. "Going Home" very effectively conveys the mix of emotions that happen when a journey is coming to an end - reflection, anticipation, soul-searching, and not really wanting to leave. It's another favorite! "The Bells All Turn To Tears" brings this musical tale to a wistful, dreamy close.

Piano Stories of The Little Prince II will be released on May 16, 2025. It is available to pre-order from Amazon and Bandcamp now. More links will be added as they become available. There is also a companion sheet music book with all twelve of the pieces transcribed by Milana and proof-read by me. It is available from Amazon and is also reviewed on MainlyPiano.com (link below).